Istana Zakaria

Guess whose house this is? The one with 16 bedrooms and 21 bathrooms? So much for the crocodile tears...


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Now the truth comes into the light...

Storm Brewing?

Well coming on the back of the euphoric first-Malaysian-in-space hype, is this statement by our neighbouring old-timer of a politician:

(Bernama) -- Some 10 years after remarking that Singapore might rejoin Malaysia if the island state's economy faltered and if Malaysia pursued meritocracy, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has again spoken on the subject.

"They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," Lee said.

Lee made the remark in an interview on Sept 27 with syndicated columnist Tom Plate of the UCLA Media Center and new-media expert Jeffrey Cole of the USC Annenberg School Center for the Digital Future.

The transcript of the interview is available online on the UCLA Asia Institute website.

In June 1996, Lee spoke about the possibility of Singapore rejoining Malaysia, raising a storm on both sides of the Causeway with then Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri (now Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad saying that he did not think that the time had come for that yet.

Dr Mahathir had also described the remark as just a means "to jolt Singaporeans" into their senses.

The latest remarks by the Singapore founding father came after he was asked about Singapore's "sense of endangerment" and why the island state was worried about survivability in the long run.

Lee replied: "Where are we? Are we in the Caribbean? Are we next to America like the Bahamas? Are we in the Mediterranean, like Malta, next to Italy? Are we like Hong Kong, next to China and therefore, will become part of China?

"We are in Southeast Asia, in the midst of a turbulent, volatile, unsettled region. Singapore is a superstructure built on what? On 700 square kilometres and a lot of smart ideas that have worked so far -- but the whole thing could come undone very quickly".

To a question on who would come after Singapore, Lee replied: "When (Malaysia) kicked us out (in 1965), the expectation was that we would fail and we will go back on their terms, not on the terms we agreed with them under the British.

"Our problems are not just between states, this is a problem between races and religions and civilizations.

"We are a standing indictment of all the things that they can be doing differently. They have got all the resources. If they would just educate the Chinese and Indians, use them and treat them as their citizens, they can equal us and even do better than us and we would be happy to rejoin them," he said.

Analysts here do not see any possibility of a Malaysia-Singapore merger.

"The chances of a re-merger in 1996 and in 2007 are the same -- zero," said Dr Ooi Kee Beng, coordinator of the Malaysia study programme at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies and best-selling author of "The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time".

"The very idea of a re-merger on Singapore's terms is appalling to most Malays (in Malaysia) and any move in that direction would be political suicide for a Malaysian politician to take," Dr Ooi told Today newspaper.

I hope Mr. Lee hasn't become senile overnight...but I think he knows that the chances of Malaysia and Singapore reconciling is as slim as me getting married! And why pass the chance to rile the politicians here to a frenzy? I don't think Singaporeans take it seriously either. Knowing the political intricacies in this country, with the current government in place, the status quo would remain. And why rock the boat - if the Malaysian government does not appreciate its best (especially non-Bumiputras - 'you tak suka, you keluar' policy) and end up benefiting Singapore, hey by all means...they'll be welcomed by open arms!

Expectedly this statement was taken as an affront by certain individuals, who felt their best to defend the so-called affirmative action policies (we call it Never-Ending Policy) which unfortunately is so plain to see, benefits only the minority, and has been (of course, will be) abused over and over again.

I've always wondered why this country, with its multitude of natural and human resources at its disposal, could still underachieve most of the countries in this region. Actually it is very clear to see why...and I hope that other Malaysians, especially the Malays see that too. As the rape and plunder continues, only one party suffers: the poor Malaysians with nowhere to go. The change that has to come must be very painful, like the sore that has festered for many years, but must be removed if the country has a chance of healing. Otherwise we will continue down this path of self-destruction. And I certainly hope not ending up like Myanmar now!

Cutting the story short, I see no end to this policy, as long as the individuals benefiting from it is repeatedly voted back into power. A change is needed, and needed very soon.

Old story - new life

Actually this is an old story given a new lease of life...after all it comes in the wake of the Port-Klang Free Zone bailout...

Najib must bear brunt of the RM6.75 billion naval scandal

And this involves a massive bailout too - Boustead Sdn. Bhd. had to fork out money to 'save' the company, PSC-Naval Dockyard, a subsidiary of PSC Industries (or is it Tan Sri Amin Shah's butt?) whose major common shareholders are Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera. Incidentally the bank most affected, Affin bank, has a major shareholder in Boustead. So it is a bailout bigger than that of PKFZ. PSCI was once a public-listed company on Bursa Malaysia; if you wonder where it has gone, don't worry - it has been renamed Boustead Heavy Industries (BHIC).

One question I want to ask: will the Tan Sri involved in the centre of this bailout ever be brought to court for mismanagement of funds? After all the billions of ringgit 'disappeared' just like that...of course into pockets of certain individuals...

Wait: let me give you the answer - no, and never will. After all, this is Bolehland.

Double Talk

To be a good politician you must learn to double-talk. You must not only learn to please your supporters, but also the opposition - if you do it well, then you will be a successful politician. Well that may be difficult to do elsewhere in the world when the free media hounds your every word, but much much easier here when Malaysians in general forget easily, and when the 'free' media is actually under your thumbs.

Compare the above to this comment a month ago from our successful politician regarding the 30% Bumiputera programme of the NEP

Little wonder that the New Economic Policy has been called, is now called, and very likely will be called Never Ending Policy...or maybe Old Economic Policy?

New Economic Policy, or Never Ending Policy?

Much ruckus has been stirred this past week about the comments of European Commission's envoy to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel, on the New Economic Policy. Basically it can be inferred from his remarks that the NEP was discriminatory and amounted to protectionism against foreign companies. Well, this is not the first, nor would it be the last, we will hear of such criticism; I'd only hope that the Government would take heed of the increasing voice against the policy both from within and from without.

Thierry Rommel and EU's relevance to Malaysia, vice versa
Najib: Envoy’s remarks moot Government to seek Wisma Putra’s views
Malaysia to send protest note over envoy’s remarks
Rafidah: It’s an attitude problem

Of course one would have expected the volume of criticism against Rommel from the government, especially from Barisan Nasional leaders in defence of the policy. After all this policy has been in place since 1970 and has served those in power well. It would be sad for them to see it end. And it's good political capital too, especially in UMNO, what with the general elections around the corner!

One thing intrigues me though: for one, the actual speech from where the comments were inferred, were never published in mainstream media and only reported in blogs and the Associated Press; and two, there is scarcely any comment from the non-UMNO leaders of the Barisan Nasional about this. And we have heard nothing from our sleeping Prime Minister about this either: only from the Deputy Prime Minister and a smattering of ministers.

To me the point is moot: the NEP is dead in it's original form. It has been hijacked to serve the purposes of those in power. I am resigned to the fact that it will continue indefinitely - until a time when the masses have had enough (by masses I mean the Malays that are blind to the fact that the NEP has not served them well) and a revolt happens. Hopefully a bloodless one...and one which installs a leader brave enough to take the bold step to reverse the many years of rot that had set in with the implementation of the NEP.

Till then, we will continue to see opportunities pass us by; as for me, the saying 'make hay while the sun shines' rings true: because the sun will be setting soon on this land...

Why? Why?

MCA: Maybank move discriminatory
Maybank adheres to Cabinet order
Backing for Maybank’s terms for legal firms

Oh why Malaysia? Why is thing happening again and again? After 30 years of NEP, shouldn't the Bumiputras be competing on solid ground, a level playing field? And if they still need discriminatory policies such as these, what volumes would these speak of our country?

'Give an inch, and they will ask for a foot' - Anon

First it will be legal firms: What next? Who next? Where next? Eventually these policies will drive out foreign investors (who may tolerate a small amount of discrimination, but will not yield to it as there are alternatives elsewhere), and then what would be left?

The narrow-minded must open their eyes now!! The world is leaving us behind...no amount of kicking and screaming, or political sweeteners, or boot-licking will bring them back when that happens!

Wishes Do Come True?

Musa: Brief Umno on why it has to give up NEP
Ghani and Shahrir back move to drop quotas

It's like a wish come true...but of course it hasn't happened yet, and I have to be snapped back into reality. Yeesh...UMNO dropping the NEP and relaxation of FIC rules on bumiputra equity a reality? Right... Definitely not when the general election is around the corner!

And why only for projects in the Iskandar Development Region? This should be extended to include the whole country. As well as fair and impartial tendering process for all government projects. That's a start to bring back confidence among foreign investors in our country.

Even as we speak, Telenor's (read Norwegian, hence foreign) 61% equity in Digi Telecommunications (read Malaysian) is still under threat; I am sure a lot of arm-twisting is going on behind-the-scenes to ensure this happens, and that includes the non-award of both 3G and Wimax licenses to Digi. It is so sad that this is happening in the investing community. To them, why give 30% equity to bumiputras (others would call them UMNO-putras) who probably will not do anything to advance their cause, but instead suck the lifeblood (read: money) out of the company - a real parasitic relationship if I ever saw one!

That's not all: foreign companies are relocating elsewhere where restrictions are not so suffocating, local companies are looking overseas to list (on the stock market), and dare I say it, if possible to move operations elsewhere. Perhaps the wiser ones are moving away from this country before worse occurs - seeing that 36 years of NEP have not changed much, and forbid even stifling the competitiveness further, while watching our erstwhile neighbours striding ahead in many different areas.

It is sad this country with it's rich natural resources, sheltered location, skilled manpower and political (?) stability has been much wasted. And if the people in charge don't listen, maybe it's time for a change.

Err...and that would be a dream really coming true!